One last try
by XxStephXx
Summary: He gave up and became her friend.  What makes him give it one last try?  LILYJAMES ONE SHOT


**One Last Try**

Lily and James were Head students and had just gotten back from their nightly patrol. It was mid-October in their seventh year. They never used to get along with each other but in sixth year, James matured, he stopped hexing random students and deflated his head and most importantly he got over his crush on Lily. They started to speak to each other civilly and became friendly acquaintances. But then in seventh year they became head students together and suddenly found themselves spending a lot of time together.

"Oh come on how could you even consider going out with him… that's just plain nasty," James teased as they came through the portrait hole.

"He is such a nice guy," Lily protested. "He seemed so nervous I didn't have the heart to say no."

"But he looks like a troll!"

"He may have troll ancestry but that doesn't mean he isn't a good person," said Lily, laughing a little at the disgusted look on James' face.

"Come on."

"Alright, alright, it was horrible," admitted Lily. "But don't be cruel."

"Alright I'm sorry… but Albert Munch?"

"Hey, if I remember correctly you went out with a few trolls yourself," said Lily, still trying to defend herself.

"Me? Like who?" said James, appalled that she would even suggest that.

"Felicity Parkinson," smirked Lily, and the smile immediately fell off James' face.

"Oh… uh, I don't know what you're talking about," said James, looking pointedly away from Lily.

"Sure… I think it was spring in fourth year, you went to Hogsmeade with her…"

"Alright, alright!" shouted James, holding his hands up. "I give up, are you happy? You date trolls and I… I went out with… ugh a…"

"Skank?" Lily supplied with raise eyebrows.

"Yes," said James grudgingly.

"How did we even start this conversation?" laughed Lily.

"You asked me if I was seeing anyone," said James.

"Oh right, so I did," said Lily, her smile faltering a little. "And you never answered."

"I'm not seeing anyone. I've just run out of girls I guess," he shrugged. "I get bored easily."

"That is true," said Lily as if she was deep in thought. "You do have the attention span of a goldfish."

"Is that bad?"

"Look it up, James and you tell me if that is bad," laughed Lily as she headed for the stairs to the girls dormitory.

"I might do that."

"What, you might actually pick up a book?"

"Oi, I read books!" said James as he playfully threw a pillow from the couch at her.

"Sure, sure," she laughed, flinging the pillow back at him. "Goodnight."

"Night."

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"Three seconds," said James, catching up to Lily the next morning on the way to breakfast.

"Pardon?"

"Three seconds. A goldfish has the attention span of three seconds. Well it has a memory of three seconds," said James proudly.

"Correct," said Lily. "Although I can't believe you went to the trouble of looking that up."

"I asked Remus," said James. "He seems to know these things, you know. He actually has a book called 'Useless Facts You'll Never Need to Know.' What is the point in reading about something you'll never need to know?"

"Some people find reading enjoyable," said Lily.

"Are you alright? You seem a little off with me today," said James.

"I'm fine."

"Really?" said James seriously.

"Yes really, I'm okay," Lily insisted.

Just then a pretty blonde girl stepped in between Lily and James.

"James," said the girl.

"Oh hi, Beth is it?" said James.

"Yeah, it's Beth, I was just wondering if you could maybe give me some help on transfiguration tonight?" said Beth.

"Uh sure," said James, taken aback. He was doing well in all his subjects but not _spectacularly_, not really well enough to tutor other people.

"Great," beamed Beth. "What about the Room of Requirement at seven?"

"Okay," said James, scratching the back of his head. "But what's wrong with the library?"

"We can get more privacy in the Room of Requirement to… study," said Beth.

"Sure, whatever," shrugged James.

"So tonight at seven?"

"See you then," said James.

"Yeah see you," gushed Beth, rushing off.

"Huh, I wouldn't have picked the Room of Requirement to study in," said James.

"Are you that stupid?" said Lily incredulously.

"What did I do?"

"Let me put it this way, I seriously doubt that girl has any plans to study with you tonight," said Lily, trying to swallow down her bitter jealousy.

"What? You think…?"

"I _know_," said Lily. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, bye," said James, dazed.

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"Prongs, what the hell are you doing?" asked Sirius. They had just finished Herbology and James was peering into the garden patches instead of going back to the castle.

"Trying to find some flowers," said James, concentrating hard.

"Why?"

"I think Lily is mad at me, I want to give her some flowers so she won't be mad anymore."

"Did you have an argument?" said Sirius.

"No… but I still think she is mad at me."

"Look mate, why don't you just ask her out?" asked Sirius bluntly.

"Who? Lily?"

"No Snivelly, I'm sure he's big into flowers. Of course Lily!"

"We're just friends."

"Sure you are," said Sirius, rolling his eyes.

"We are," James insisted.

"You spend more time with her than you do with anyone else."

"We're Head Boy and Girl, we have duties and responsibilities. Anyway I don't like her like that anymore."

"Yeah whatever… please, when you do come to your senses put the girl out of her misery and just ask her out."

"You don't know what you're talking about," said James, suddenly feeling a little angry at Sirius for some reason.

"Oh please, you both go all gooey when you're together... it puts me off my food."

"Padfoot, nothing can put you off food," said James seriously.

"Mmmmm… speaking of which we're late for lunch," said Sirius. "But seriously think about what I said about Lily… trust me, I know girls."

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"Hi, what are you doing up?" said James, around 2 am the next morning. He had been out all night walking around pondering what Sirius had said about him and Lily. He came back and found Lily curled up on the armchair next to the fire in the cutest pink pig pajamas he had ever seen.

"Hey, I couldn't sleep," said Lily, her face brightening when she saw who it was, then she added slightly bitterly. "How was your date?"

"What… oh you were right about her," said James, flopping down on the sofa opposite Lily. "I bailed after ten minutes."

"Where have you been then?"

"Just walking around, thinking."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really," he shrugged, then he grinned and added. "Nice jammies, by the way."

"Goodnight," said Lily, blushing.

"Oh don't be like that," he laughed, grabbing her by the waist as she went to walk past him. "I was being serious, they're really nice."

"So why did you bail?" said Lily, changing the subject. "Beth is nice."

"I'm sure she is."

"Just not… interesting enough to amuse you for long though," Lily whispered into his ear as she got off his lap.

"Hmmm not many people are," said James, watching her as she got up. He noticed she was blushing profusely now and he decided to risk it. "Hey Lils?"

"What?" said Lily, turning back round to face him.

"I want to ask you something, but you have to promise not to get mad me, okay?"

"Alright," said Lily suspiciously.

"I'm just going to give this one last try I swear," said James, taking a deep breath. "Will you go to Hogsmade with me? On a date I mean… not… Oh crap I really made a mess of that..."

"I'd love to."

"You would?"

"Yeah," said Lily, grinning. "It's about time you finally got round to asking me."

"What?"

"I was beginning to think you were mentally challenged, I was being so obvious," said Lily, laughing at the look on James' face. She was standing in front of him now.

"Charming!"

"I'm really going to bed now," said Lily, then she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night," James called, still standing in the same spot in total shock.

Sirius had been right…there is a first time for everything.


End file.
